About Visraant Iyer:

Visraant Iyer is the Director of Strategic Partnerships & Urban Innovation for the City of Oakland, where he helps make local government work better through design thinking and civic tech. Before that, he worked in startups, presidential campaigns, and national voter engagement efforts. He grew up in the Chicago suburbs, and now lives in Oakland, where he still finds time to play basketball, watch movies, and think deeply about how cities can actually serve people better.

What was most fun about this conversation:

Honestly, it was how wide-ranging it got. One minute we were talking about city planning, and the next we were talking about identity, assimilation, and growing up brown in the suburbs. I liked how he described biking around as a kid, exploring different neighborhoods, and realizing early on that everyone sees the world a little differently—and that’s okay. It felt like hearing how curiosity can shape a whole life.

What I was inspired by:

Visraant’s whole idea of problem definition really stuck with me. He said people often jump to “fixing” without fully understanding the real issue, and that curiosity—asking “why?” over and over—is the most underrated leadership skill. It made me think that being smart isn’t about having all the answers, but about asking better questions.

What many of us Americans can relate with:

That feeling of being seen as both “a success story” and “an outsider.” He talked about how Indian Americans went from being praised as the “model minority” to being treated as a threat once there were more of us. It’s like success became suspicious instead of inspiring. He explained how that shift isn’t just about race but about power and belonging, and how people’s comfort with your success can change depending on how visible you are. A lot of us have probably felt that switch happen in subtle ways, even at school or work.

What I will think more about:

He said something I keep replaying: “If you’re kind only when it’s convenient, you’re not being kind.” That line kind of sums up his whole outlook. He doesn’t want to spend life fighting hate online—he wants to build, to serve, and to live with integrity even when things feel tense or unfair. And when he talked about how the “model minority” label turns from praise to resentment once a community becomes too visible, it made me think about how fragile acceptance can be and how much strength it takes to just stay grounded in who you are.

How this connects to other guests:

Like Gagan Biyani, he wrestles with what it means to belong to two cultures without having to pick one. Like Dr. Nirav Pandya, he sees pride in identity as something that grows with self-acceptance. With Dr. Neha Gupta, he shares the idea that culture is full of invisible norms you only notice when you don’t fit them. And like Maulik Bhansali and Prashanthi Raman, he talks about the courage of being authentic in rooms where you might not totally “fit.” And like Janani Ramachandran, he reminds us that caring about community, whether through public service, politics, or just everyday kindness, is one of the most powerful ways to belong.

Together, all these stories are really about the same thing: how Indian Americans are learning to define belonging for themselves instead of waiting for permission.

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